We offer learning programmes that span from preconception to career
Pre-School
First 1000 Days
The first 1,000 days are a time of tremendous potential and enormous vulnerability and has a profound impact on a child’s ability to grow, learn and thrive.
We have identified the following focus areas: 1) pre and post natal classes
2) breastfeeding support
3) practical sessions with mom and baby on the importance mental stimulation through play and affection.
Shared Book Reading Moms & Tots
We run morning shared reading sessions at our Learning Centre twice a week with Moms and Tots. We have also partnered with the Breteau Foundation who provides tablets with educational software for toddler to take home for 6-12 months.
Our facilitators have been trained by the Mikhulu Trust in Dialogic book-sharing and we follow their award winning curriculum using wordless picture books.
‘Dialogic book-sharing’ is a special kind of interaction between an adult and a young child using a wordless picture book. It is not simply ‘reading’ to a child who listens passively – instead, it is an active exchange, led by the child, and supported by an adult who is attentive to their interests and communication. This enjoyable and simple activity has been proven to improve children’s language and cognitive development, and help children understand and get along with other people.
See more about the Mikhulu Trust here: https://mikhulutrust.org/what-we-do/book-sharing/
Primary School
Aftacool
An Aftacool club is hosted by a mother in the community who has been trained to run after school clubs twice a week from their homes with 10-15 children in their area. The AfterCool clubs ideally cater to Grade 4-7 learners although some content can be tweaked for younger children.
A box with educational but fun content based on a picture book is delivered to a mom every two weeks with resources and activities focusing on critical thinking, emotional intelligence and curiosity.
See more about our Aftacool Clubs here:
https://boostafrica.com/aftacool
Math Club
See more about Maths Clubs here:
https://mathsclubs.co.za/
Creative Club
Our Creative Arts facilitators are trained by the Butterfly Art Project to provide psycho-social support through art therapeutic classes. Facilitators are trained in four artistic mediums: clay, watercolour paint, free drawing and mixed media which equips them to develop lessons to grow resilience, concentration, social skills, interest in learning, confidence and fine motor skills with the beneficiaries.
Coding Club
Our second stream is also a weekly club for learners who have shown an interest and commitment after attending the beginners programme. This is a smaller group of learners and we make use of the Tanks gaming app and code.org. We are in the process of finalising the curriculum and have also introduced robotics as a fun activity.
Reading Clubs
Every learner has different learning needs. If a learner is at sound level we go back to teaching phonics and if a learner is struggling to read words we explore blending. Other learners can read but they cannot read for meaning. We then encourage reading at home and read through books with them so that they can increase their vocabulary and understanding.
Some of our struggling readers get an educational tablet provided by the Breteau Foundation with literacy games and many stories to read to use at home for 6-12 months.
Yebo Academic Programme
See more at:
https://www.yearbeyond.org/academic
High School
Grade 8 Aftacool Club
The Grade 8 club curriculum makes use of the ‘Smart Girl and Boy’ curriculum and ‘Career Launch’ provided by Boy and Girls Club SA. We also incorporate computer skills into the curriculum.
Gold Youth Grade 9-12
Through the Gold Peer Education Model, we are embedding peer leaders and their mentors into schools and communities, developing young people from being passive recipients of negative norms to proactive agents of positive change, who are empowering themselves and their peers to become the ethical and economically independent leaders of tomorrow.
The programme provides a job creation opportunity as a Facilitator Intern for out-of-school youth. They are trained to train and mentor teenage leaders called Peer Educators. Facilitator Interns start as a Junior and move through 4 years of their internship until they are a Lead Facilitator Intern.
Read more about this programme here: https://goldyouth.org/programme/
Adult
Computer Literacy Progamme
Sewing Courses
Participants start off with a 2 week starter course which exposes them to basic sewing skills by making a pin cushion and a patchwork scatter cushion. The starter course also makes it clear whether participants show an interest and passion for sewing and are able to progress to the next course.
During the next 8 weeks the participants learn to make a shoe bag, an apron, a tracksuit, and a skirt. Our teachers are trained to encourage neat and quality work. We all know that sewing requires hand eye co-ordination and this help to keep our brains as nimble as our fingers! The sewing course challenges participants to strive for professionalism and many times they have to remove stitches that are skew or too tight. This can bring up emotions of frustration and anger and our teachers are trained to gently work
The graduates are then welcomed to make use of the sewing centre facilities to start their own project and gain experience. The act of sewing helps to build self confidence. The simple fact that you can create something from nothing is incredibly empowering. Sewing is a creative skill that benefits individuals in making their own clothes, repairing clothes or starting a small business to earn an income.
Our sewing teachers provide mentorship and support to participants and graduates by brainstorming ideas, providing patterns and information on where materials and fabrics can be purchased at a goof price.
Participants and graduates also have access to peer support as weekly life coaching sessions creates an environment of trust and connection.
The sewing centre provide access to graduates to sewing machines, patterns and guidance. This allows participants to practice their skills and create products to sell or use for personal use.
Yeboneers
See more at:
https://www.yearbeyond.org/elements